“Happy New Year everyone! Let’s start off with the best new year traditions from 5 Asian countries.
Major League Baseball is scheduled to begin play again in October, so it is a great time to plan on visiting the country of your choice. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for another season! Let’s take a look At some of the best new year traditions from 5 Asian countries.
1) China: “We make animals in Wuhan. They are made of tofu and tofu comes in different colors that we can buy by the kilo. We sell them outside of our house and then people come and eat them. Some people come and they just want to walk around looking at all the colors that we make so they can buy one and give it to their kids.”
2) Japan: “In Japan, there are two main holidays – Kami-ni-sho (New Year) and Matsuri (Festival of Lanterns). People pray for good luck during Kami-ni-sho or New Year so lanterns are hung up all over town for everyone to see during seven days until January 2nd [February 1st if you live in California]. The reason why lanterns attract crowds is because they represent auspiciousness which brings happiness throughout the year.”
3) Hong Kong: “They have a holiday called Hong Kong Day where people go out on the streets decorating with lanterns [and] singing songs. If you ask anyone why they put up lanterns, they say it reminds them of their childhood when they were young children playing with their grandparents. So it brings back memories that each person has about their child years or maybe even younger or younger siblings who grew up together playing together as a family during these holidays.”
4) Malaysia: “They have another holiday where you drive around town using your headlights on most nights at night so that many people will see your car coming towards them as an auspicious sign whenever you do this because you want everybody to see your car coming towards them as an auspicious sign every night because it signifies prosperity for every single person who sees your car coming towards them as an auspicious sign every night because it signifies prosperity for every single person who sees your car coming towards them as an auspicious sign every night because it signifies prosperity for every single person who sees your car coming towards them
2. New Year Traditions in India
When it comes to the New Year, people from all over the world have their own customs. Some people celebrate the new year by watching a live re-enactment of Chinese New Year.
Others celebrate by watching fireworks, and perhaps going on a pilgrimage. Why do they observe this tradition?
The Chinese believe that it is a good omen for the upcoming year to be prosperous and healthy. If you are lucky enough to travel to different countries and observe their New Year customs, you’ll be in for a treat of unique experiences.
3. New Year in China
Following a long tradition, Chinese New Year is a time for reflection and transition. The first day of the year is called the first day of the year in China and Korea, which means that on this special day, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the past year and look to the year ahead. This year was an exciting one — and we wish you a Happy New Year with all your colleagues from around the world!
4. New Year Traditions in Korea
It’s the day that still feels quite foreign to many Koreans. The end of the year is a time for reflection and celebration. Even though it’s usually described as a day to reflect on personal achievements and accomplishments, it also inevitably brings with it a sense of foreboding.
Some Korean people believe that death is an inevitable part of life, so since the start of the year, they begin to think about how they will go out.
For many, this means the coming year will be spent traveling extensively.
They plan to visit all five provinces in Korea — those in the northern part are called “five provinces” (Kyeonggi Province, Gyeonggi Province, Jeolla Province, Chungcheong Province and North Chungcheong Province), while those in southern Korea are considered “four provinces” (South Chungcheong Province, Daegu Province and Gyeongsangbuk-do).
In addition to travel plans, other traditions that people from different parts of Korea hold on to include memorial services for their deceased parents and family members during this time.
5. New Year Traditions in Japan
As the first day of the year rapidly draws to a close, we bring you 5 personal New Year traditions from 5 countries in Asia.
1. The Chinese New Year is an annual celebration in China. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year's Day, a traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar date in mid-February or mid-March. Each year is regarded as an opportunity for people to reflect on their lives, and to make progress towards attaining harmony with the universe and their goals.
2. Japan's New Year's Day is celebrated on January 1 of each year, and the holiday is known as Chūnagon [金曜 Gokin]. It is one of the five traditional holidays in Japanese culture along with Shichigōri [矢引 Gōki], Obon [奥義 Öbun], Kami-zakura [神楼 Kinzō], and Oshiage [大祭 Ōsai]. In addition to this, it also serves as a time for families to gather together and exchange gifts during the holiday season.
3. In Korea, too, it is known as Chŏngnyeongdae (추년당) [초년당] (lit: "Spring Festival Holiday"), which translates into "Spring Festival" in English. The holiday falls on April 15th (around March 21st), and occurs every year around Easter (around March 21). It has been observed since ancient times both by Koreans and by foreign visitors to Korea."
The Lunar New Year is one of the most significant holidays in Chinese culture.
The festival occurs when the Moon reaches its peak and is seen to be full. This is a time of great celebration as it signals that the luck and fortune of this year will continue in your life. It’s a time to look back on your past year with all the good and bad moments you experienced, but also to look forward to what the future holds for you.
If you’re interested, here are 5 New Year traditions from five Asian countries:
1- The Festival of Lanterns
2- Dragon Boat Festival (水鹰節)
3- Indian New Year (Jyutping: 民族升起節), aka Ching Ming (Chinese: 秋明) or Ching Ming Tai Chi Festival (Chinese: 秋明太湖戏礼). The festival dates from 1547 AD and has become an important event for Chinese people, particularly amongst those who celebrate the traditional Chinese culture.
4- Japan's Golden Week begins on the 21st day of January and lasts until the end of February. It begins at midnight on January 21st, with fireworks being launched into the sky; lanterns are lit, buildings are decorated with coloured lights, people take part in dragon boat races or other festivals throughout Japan; fireworks are also launched into the sky; and people have traditional New Year's festivities. The celebrations last for 10 days only and end on February 3rd. This year's festivities include national flag hoisting ceremonies at government buildings including Tokyo's Imperial Palace; fireworks display at Tokyo Tower; dragon boat races throughout Japan; lighting up of Yasukuni Shrine; and Emperor Akihito's Golden Prayer Night as well as an historical reenactment at Nara Park featuring live actors representing three dynasties: Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, and Japanese Imperial Era. In addition, there will be "Dragon Boat Races" throughout Japan between January 29th and February 4th in various areas such as Tokyo Bay area including Akihabara Station district, Osaka Bay area including Namba Station district, Yokohama Bay area including Kanagawa Station district etc., fireworks displays at Sea World theme park in Osaka City before dawn on Sunday morning representing "Kannon" which is widely considered as a symbol of Buddhist teachings from its peaceful appearance within a sea container